• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

GPS on Airplane

bluehole

Active member
Is there a problem taking a GPS on an airplane? I know you can't use cell phones during a flight. Is it okay to use a GPS?
 
Wow. That was impressive. Thanks for the information. This should be fun...but I am going to keep it low key anyway.
 
Wow. That was impressive. Thanks for the information. This should be fun...but I am going to keep it low key anyway.

It's hard to keep it low key when you have to have the antenna next to the window in order for it to work. Even then, a lot of times you can't get a fix on enough sats to get 3D navigation.

(It is impressive to have a 623 MPH "Max Speed" in your trip computer, though.)

As posted by WMUBrown, it depends on the airline, although I've never had anyone tell me I couldn't use mine. Certainly got some weird looks from fellow passengers though.:D
It's fantastic to waypoint interesting things that you may ride around some day, and then load the waypoints into a mapping program to find out how to get there.
 
Have done this numerous times, pointing the Garmin 60cs out the window. No problem. Does help to have a window seat however :).
 
I have been asked by Southwest Airlines and US Airways to shut it off or have it confiscated. Then, when I try to explain it is OK, they get livid.

Can't win sometimes.
 
I have been asked by Southwest Airlines and US Airways to shut it off or have it confiscated. Then, when I try to explain it is OK, they get livid.

Can't win sometimes.

Per the FAA it is always up to the pilot.


FAA

And also Here
 
I find that asking the flight attendant to ask the CAPTAIN if it is ok to use above 10,000 feet works great. The answer has never been "No."
 
I have been asked by Southwest Airlines and US Airways to shut it off or have it confiscated. Then, when I try to explain it is OK, they get livid.

Thats because the people telling you to do so, don't know squat about anything.

Any wiring sensitive to outside signals in an aircraft will be very well shielded, and so will the device itself.

If they are so concerned about interference, then maybe they should tell the captain not to make any radio transmissions, signals that are far stronger than any local oscillator in your electronic device.

Hmmm, they have a GPS out front...so whats the difference? :dunno
 
I use my GPSIII on planes all the time, I've never had a problem. I've actually found some great roads and interesting small towns that way, plus it is nice getting a rough ETA (and the 450mph Top Speed is sure impressive ;) )
 
Airborne GPS

From the flight crew's point of view, I can see why it make make them a little nervous wondering if you are trying to detemine the EXACT point you want to blow up your shoes. :dunno

Friedle
 
From the flight crew's point of view, I can see why it make make them a little nervous wondering if you are trying to detemine the EXACT point you want to blow up your shoes.

Oh, sure! Do you know what my ASOLO hiking boots cost? And what would I be riding in once I arrived at my destination? ;)
 
It's hard to keep it low key when you have to have the antenna next to the window in order for it to work. Even then, a lot of times you can't get a fix on enough sats to get 3D navigation.

(It is impressive to have a 623 MPH "Max Speed" in your trip computer, though.)

As posted by WMUBrown, it depends on the airline, although I've never had anyone tell me I couldn't use mine. Certainly got some weird looks from fellow passengers though.:D
It's fantastic to waypoint interesting things that you may ride around some day, and then load the waypoints into a mapping program to find out how to get there.

You mean like this shot of my Emap a few years ago??
mn_ks_rallies27.jpg
 
My wife is a flight attendant the only time she ask's people to turn stuff off is during take offs and landings as per the FAA then people don't do it and get pissed. Like during the briefings when they are on their cell phones so even if someone wants to hear a briefing they can't because some ******* wants to show what a bigshot they are by being loud on their phone.
 
I can understand why people get nervous about it. The one that really cracks me up is when I am asked to turn off the mapping software on the laptop.
 
The GPS is a receiver only and does not transmit RF. -doesn't interfere upfront.
The main consideration is public perception imo- passengers may get suspicious if
they don't know what it is.
Cheers
 
The GPS is a receiver only and does not transmit RF. -doesn't interfere upfront.
Your GPS has a local oscillator.

How do you think radar detector detectors work? They sniff out the local oscillator.
The main consideration is public perception imo- passengers may get suspicious if
they don't know what it is.
This is why asking the flight attendant to ask the CAPTAIN if it will be ok to use your GPS above 10k feet works so well. It teaches the flight attendant as well as your fellow passengers that you have a GPS and that it IS safe to use.
 
Back
Top